Edward e



(No Model.)

E. E. GOLD. THERMOSTATIG- TRAP.

Patented Mar. 1o, 1896..-

INVENTOR;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD E. GOLD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TH ERM-OSTATIC TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 556,094, dated March10, 1896.

Application iiled April 6, 1895. Serial No. 544,713. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. GOLD, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Thermostatic Traps, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to steam-traps for discharging water ofcondensation from pipes or vessels containing steam. It relatesparticularly to traps of that class in which the expansion orcontraction of a thermostatic device is employed to effect the openingand closing of the trap-valve. The thermostatic device in this case isthe discharge-tube beyond the valve, through which the steam or water ofcondensation is blown out. The invention hence relates to that type ofthermostatic traps wherein the valve is unseated by the contraction ofthe outlet tube, its contraction being transmitted to the valve throughthe medium of a rod, exterior to the tube, and a lever, by means ofwhich the motion communicated to said rod is multiplied and transmittedto the valve. My invention provides an improved and more perfectconstruction for this purpose than those heretofore devised.

Figure l of the accompanying` drawings is a vertical longitudinalmid-section of my improved trap in its preferred form as applied, forexample, on a railway-car. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical mid-sectionthereof on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is an under side view of the valvewith a plan View of its operating rod or stem. Fig. 4 is a transversesection on the line 4 4 in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of thestrainer removed. Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in verticalmid-section, showing a slightly-modified construction of trap.

Referring to the drawings, let A designate the pipe or vessel containingsteam, from which it is desired to discharge water of condensation. Thispipe is screwed or connected to the valve-shell B of the trap. Thisvalveshell is formed with a iixed diaphragm or partition a separating itinto two chambers, the upper chamber being that with which the pipe Acommunicates and the lower chamber com'- municating with the outletthermo-expansion pipe C, which constitutes the thermostatic element ofthe trap. The diaphragm a is formed preferably with two valve-seats, theone, b, being that of the steam-trap proper, against which thetrap-valve D closes, and the other seat, c, being provided for theseating of a blow-off valve E operated by a screwstem E working througha stuffing-box in the manner common to compression or globe valves. Thearrangement is such that when either valve D or E is unseated the steamor water of condensation is caused to blow out from the pipe A into thetube C, and the lower end of this tube being open it is freelydischarged.

For nnseating the valve D or trap-valve the expansion or contraction ofthe tube C is utilized by the interposition of an outside rod F and alever G. The rod F is connected at its lower end to the bottom of thetube O preferably through the medium of a collar d, ixed on the lowerend of the tube and having an eye through which the screw-threaded lowerend of the rod passes, and which is embraced between nuts c e screwed onopposite sides of the collar. The upper end of the rod F is connected bya pivot-pin f to the lever G, which latter is fulcrumed to a iixedpivotal point g, which is conveniently constructed on a collar h, whichis xed to the upper portion of the tube O. The lever G enters the tubethrough a slot in its side, and its free end within the tube, which thusextends below the trap-valve, connects with this valve through anysuitable intermediary, either directly, as shown in Fig. 6, or by theinterposition of an operating rod or stem H, as shown in Fig. l.

Fig. l shows the preferred construction. The lever G is fulcrumed at itsouter end to a bracket on the collar h, and its free end within the tubeC is connected by a pivot-pin z' to the operating-stem H, which latterprojects up within the valve opening or seat b and terminates directlybeneath the valve D. This valve D is mounted on the upper side of theseat or opening, so that it closes with the steam-pressure, and inaddition it is pressed down to its seat by a spring s which reactsagainst a cap j, by unscrewing which access may be gained to the valvefor removing it.

The preferred construction of the valve is that shown in Figs. 2 and 3.It has a suit- IDD ably-yielding packingface or gasket 71: where itcontacts with the scat,and for properly guiding it it is provided withwingsl Z, of which four are shown, or any other number, or in fact anyother means for guiding the valve may be substituted. These wings areformed on a nut 7n screwing on the central stem of the valve for holdingthe gasket in place. To hold the upper end of the stem ll concentricwith the valve, it is preferably provided with guiding projections orwings a fa looselyT engaging the outlet-opening. The upper end of thestem II comes close beneath the under side of the valve, so that whenthe tube C contracts, thereby thrusting the rod F upwardly and tiltingthe lever C so that its free end within the tube is moved up to amultiplied extent, the stem Il being thus thrust up strikes against andpushes up the valve D, thereby permitting the water of condensation toblow out. As soon as hot water or steam flows out it quickly heats thetube C and reexpands it, thereby pulling down the rod F and lever G andlowering the valve D to its seat, so that the outflow is stopped.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. G the valve D is arrangedbelow the seat and closes upwardly against the steam-pressure, beingclosed by the elongation of the tube C, which pulls down through the rodF upon the outer arm of the lever G, and thereby throws up its inner armwhich is connected to the valve. The cooling of the tube C contracts itand relieves the tension on the rod F and lever G, so that thesteam-pressure is permitted to force the valve D oil from its seat, sothat an outflow of water and steam occurs, and the tube (l is againexpanded sufliciently to close the valve.

My improved trap is very simple in construction and very free andsensitive in its action. By mounting the lever G beneath the valve theconnection is made from the exterior to the valvewithout requiring anystuiiingbox or other such complication, and without involving thefrictional resistance of a stuifing-box. rlhe lever G works freelythrough the slot by which it enters the tube C, and no packing isrequired in this opening, as the steam or water is under little or 11opressure in iiowing out beyond the valve, and little or no leakage canoccur through the opening when the full area of the tube C is affordedfor the escape of the water or steam. The correct adjustment of theparts is easily effeeted by turning the nuts e. In case it becomesnecessary to get access to the interior of the valve-shell, the cap jmay be removed, which in the construction shown in Fig. l enables thevalve D to be drawn out through the top opening. lf it is necessary toget access to the lower chamber of the valve-shell, the tube (l may beunscrewed therefrom, carrying with it the collar 7L, rod F and lever G,and in the construction shown in Fig. (i carrying also the valve D, orin the construction shown in Fig. l carrying the operating-stem H. Theblowoff valve E forms no novel part of my invention, and may be omittedif a means for blowing oi'f steam or water at will is not required.

To prevent the choking of the valve, or the causing of leakage byparticles of dust, grit, or scale working under the valve, I provide astrainer J in Fig. l or J in Fig. f5. The strainer J is the preferredform, and consists, as shown in Fig. 5, of a short length of tubehavingslots formed in it at suitable intervals and extending down from itsupper end a greater or less distance toward its bottom. The strainerfits around the upwardly-projecting valve-seat b, and its upper endrests against the under side of the cap j, which holds it in place. Thebottom of the cap is rabbeted or concentrically grooved to take againstthe upper edge of the strainer and hold it properly centered, while itslower end is centered by fitting against the exterior of the seatprojection. The cap thus serves also to close the upper ends of theslots.

By removing the cap the strainer may be lifted out through the topopening. In the construction shown in Fig. 6 the strainer .l consists ofa sheet-metal cap or inverted cup having slots formed in its sides, itstop being closed and a screw-cap j screwing down upon it, so that whenin place it holds the strainer against displacement. Both constructionshave the advantage that by the slots (or other equivalentstrainer-openings) bein g arranged at the upper portion only the waterorsteam passing through them is diverted upwardly, thereby tending todeposit beneath the level of the openings any heavy particles of grit orscale which may accumulate around the lower part of the chamber exteriorto the strainer, and when the blow-off valve E is opened the rush ofwater or steam carries them out and scours out the valve-chamber. Anyparticles which when the trap is open may be arrested by the strainerand held by the current against the openings thereof are liable when thetrap is closed and there is no current to fall by their own weight tothe bottom of the strainer below the openings.

An important use of my invention is in connection with the steam-heatingof railwaycars. YV ith such steam-heating systems it is customary totrap off the water of condensation which accumulates in the radiators orradiating-pipes within the car, and for this purpose a thermostatic trapis applied at the lowest point of the radiating system. Usually thedrainage-pipe is carried from the ra diator down through the car-Hoor,and a trap or valve is applied beneath the floor of the car, where itwill be exposed to the cooler temperature outside.

My invention admits of very conveniently mounting the trap so that itshall project through the car-loor, so that the upper or valve partshall be within the car and the lower or thermo-expansive elements shallbe exposed outside the car.

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In Figs. l and 6 K designates the car-iioor and K the bottom sheathing.Coinciding holes are cut through both, and preferablya casing L isarranged to extend between the holes to maintain the air-space betweenthe floor and sheathing as a dead-air space. The trap extends freelythrough this casing, a floor-plate p being preferably fitted around thetrap to close the opening. The valves D and E are thus arranged withinthe car, where there is less liability of any liquid remaining in thepipes or trap being frozen, while the thermo-expansive outlet-tube C isfor practically its entire length exposed to the external temperaturebeneath the car-floor, so that it is quickly cooled and the trap therebycaused to promptly drain out water of condensation. This arrangement hasthe further advantage that it prevents too great projection of the trapbeneath the car-floor, as, if the entire trap were mounted beneath thecar-iioor and were extended vertically, as is preferable, it wouldproject undesirably low beneath the car, or else the tube C would haveto be shortened to an undesirable extent.

The same advantages may be gained in heating other apartments thanrailwaycars wherever the apartment to be heated is separated by a floorfrom a cooler space beneath.

I claim as my invention the following-defined novel features,substantially as hereinbefore specified, namely:

l. A steam-trap comprising a valve-shell formed with a seat, and atrap-valve closing against said seat, combined with an expansibleoutlet-tube, a rod connecting with the free end of saidV tube, and alever engaged by said rod pivoted on a fixed fulcrum and projectingwithin the outlet-passage of the trap beneath said valve and engagedwith the valve.

2. A steam-trap comprising a valve-shell formed with a seat, and atrap-valve closing against said seat, combined with an expansibleoutlet-tube fastened detachably to said shell at one end, a rodconnected to the opposite or free end of said tube and extending backtoward its attached end, a lever engaged with said rod having itsfulcrum carried by said tube, said lever arranged to project into thetube and connected at its free inner end with said valve, whereby thetube may be detached from the valve-shell, thereby carrying with it saidrod, lever and fulcrum, and permittin g access to the interior of theshell.

3. A steam-trap comprising a valve-shell formed with a seat, and atrap-valve above said seat and closing outwardly against it with thepressure, combined with an expansible tube connected at one end to theoutlet of said shell, a rod connected to the free end of said tube, alever arranged beneath the valve engaged by the opposite end of saidrod, fulcrumed at its outer end and having its free inner end projectingwithin the outlet-passage of the trap and engaging beneath said valve,whereby on the contraction of said tube the rod pushes up the lever, andthe free end of the lever in turn pushes up and unseats the valve.

4. A steam-trap comprising a valve-shell formed with a seat, and atrap-valve above said seat and closing outwardly against it with thepressure, combined with an ex ansible tube connected at one end to theou et of said shell, a rod connected to the free end of said tube, alever arranged beneath the valve engaged by the opposite end of saidrod, fulcrumed at its outer end and having its free inner end projectingwithin the outlet-passage of the trap, and a valve-operating stem Hconnected to said lever and extending beneath said valve to communicatethe upward movement of the lever to the valve to lift it.

5. The combination to form a steam-trap of a shell B having a transversepartition d formed with a seat-opening b, a valve D mounted over saidseat, a spring s pressing the valve down against said seat, a valveformed with guidingewings Z projecting within said opening, anexpansible tube C, a rod F, a lever G projecting at its free end withinthe outlet-passage of the trap, and a stem H connected to said lever andextending into engagement with said valve to lift it by the upwardmovement of the lever.

6. In a steam-trap having a valve -shell formed with a partition and aseat-opening through it, a valve closing against said seat, and atubular strainer formed with openings confined to its upper portion andarranged to inclose said seat, the shell formed with an opening in linewith said seat, and a cap closing said opening and formed with aconcentric rabbet engaging the upper end of the tubular strainer to holdit down and in concentric position.

7. In a steam-trap having a valve-shell formed with a partition and aseat-opening through it, a valve closing against said seat, and astrainer consisting of a tube formed with slots extending from its upperend downwardly, its lower portion fitted around said seat, said shellformed with an opening in line with said seat, and a cap closing saidopening, and formed with a rabbet engaging the slotted upper end of thestrainer-tube and serving to close the slots therein and hold the tubeconcentrically in place.

ln witness whereof l have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EDlVARD E. GOLD.

Vitnesses:

GEORGE H. FRASER, THoMAs'F. WALLACE.

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